A great upcoming opportunity for a family mission project is Backpacks for Appalachia sponsored by the Georgia Baptist Mission Board.

Basically you take a backpack and add items similar to those you would put in an Operation Christmas Child box (school supplies, personal hygiene items, small toys, etc.)

Below are a few ideas of how you can involve your preschoolers and/or children in this mission project:

– Let them help choose whether the backpack will be for a boy or a girl and what age category you will be creating the backpack for.

– Go shopping together as a family and allow the children to help pick out the backpack and/or a few items for the backpacks while mom/Dad cover some of the basic hygiene items, etc.

– After you arrive home, spread out the items purchased and work together as a family to pack the backpack.

– Take pictures of your family while you are packing the backpack and once you have completed it. (These pictures can be put in a photo album, scrapbook, or shared via social media)

– When you have finished packing the backpack, say a prayer for the child who will be receiving it.

– Continue to pray for the child receiving the backpack throughout the end of the year.

– You could do multiple backpacks if you have more than one child in your family

– Encourage other family members (grandparents, aunts/uncles, friends) to do a backpack for Appalachia. If grandparents would rather just donate money, help your kids shop and assemble the backpacks for them!

– Create a back pack in honor of someone using part of your Christmas budget. This is a great gift idea for grandparents. After you have completed the back pack, have your children create a drawing or sign on a sheet of paper that says that this backpack was created in their honor. Snap a picture of the children, backpack, and the sign and include in a Christmas card for the Grandparents.

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Maria Brannen

Maria has served as a State Missionary with the Georgia Baptist Mission Board since 1998 and is a Kids Groups and Faith Development Consultant. Maria assists churches with Kids Ministry training; works with Kids Ministry networking; Preschool/Children’s discipleship, Kids in the Word, Bible Drill and Student Speakers.